AFC South

The Houston Texans hired Lovie Smith as head coach on Monday, with Pep Hamilton also being promoted to offensive coordinator.

Houston general manager Nick Caserio discussed the hiring in a statement:

I am excited to introduce Lovie Smith as our next head coach. He is one of the most respected coaches in the NFL and an established leader. A proven winner, Lovie has shown the ability to develop players both on and off the field for years. We had numerous discussions with countless coaches, executives, and players, and what revealed itself is that Lovie has both the leadership and people skills it takes to lead us forward. We both understand how much work is in front of us, but we embrace the responsibility and look forward to continuing to build a program that can have sustained success.

ESPN's Adam Schefter and Field Yates first reported the news of Smith's hiring.

The Houston position was open after the Texans fired David Culley on Jan. 13 following just one season. While the 66-year-old went only 4-13 in 2021, he was working in a difficult situation that would have been challenging for any coach.

Houston hired Culley after a 4-12 mark in 2020 that saw Romeo Crennel take over as the interim head coach when Bill O'Brien was fired four games into the season.

Culley's job was made more complicated when Deshaun Watson requested a trade during the offseason.

In addition, 22 women filed lawsuits accusing the 26-year-old of sexual assault or misconduct, and the team made him inactive throughout the 2021 campaign because of his legal situation.

Replacement signal-caller Tyrod Taylor appeared in just six games because of injury, which forced rookie Davis Mills into action.

While the 23-year-old showed flashes of his potential at times during his first season, Houston likely didn't envision him having such a major role right away when it selected him with a third-round pick.

The result was a 4-13 record, the second straight season the Texans finished with four wins.

It was a far cry from the back-to-back playoff appearances of 2018 and 2019, and the Smith comes into a situation with plenty of uncertainty and an overall talent level that falls short of several other AFC contenders.

Whether he can turn things around, and how quickly he can do so, will determine whether his tenure is seen as a success or failure for a franchise that has never advanced past the divisional round of the playoffs.

Smith will surely be motivated to succeed in his return to a head coaching job for the first time since the 2015 campaign.

He is best known for his tenure with the Chicago Bears, which lasted from 2004 through 2012 and included one trip to the Super Bowl and three playoff appearances. Smith posted an 81-63 record during his nine years with the Bears while leading teams that were best known for their defensive prowess.

Smith's time as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did not go as well, as evidenced by his 8-24 record in 2014 and 2015.

The veteran coach is familiar with the Texans from his time as the associate head coach and defensive coordinator in 2021 and will look to build a winner like he did in Chicago and put his struggles with Tampa Bay into the rearview mirror.

Other finalists for the job appeared to be former quarterback Josh McCown and former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, who each interviewed with the team twice. Flores is currently suing the NFL and its teams for discriminatory hiring practices.

The Houston Texans are reportedly "moving toward" promoting defensive coordinator Lovie Smith to head coach.

Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported the deal is near completion. It's expected that an announcement will be made later Monday or early Tuesday. 

Smith, 63, spent last season as an associate head coach and defensive coordinator in Houston under David Culley. The Texans fired Culley after only one season in January.

For much of the search, it appeared Houston was determined to hire former NFL quarterback Josh McCown as its next head coach. The team interviewed the 42-year-old as part of its hiring process last offseason before hiring Culley and then brought him in again this offseason—a sign the team had some buyer's remorse about not hiring McCown in the previous cycle.

However, it appears that widespread criticism of McCown's potential hiring may have led the team in another direction. McCown has no coaching experience at any level of football, and the spotlight on hiring an inexperienced, white head coach amid the racial discrimination lawsuit filed against the NFL by Brian Flores had the makings of a public relations nightmare.

Garafolo reported the Texans could hire McCown as an assistant under Smith, which would make for an awkward situation if Houston gets off to a slow start in 2022.

The Texans' coaching search is rivaled only by the Jacksonville Jaguars in its head-scratching nature. It appears the team had a plan in place for its search heading into the offseason and abandoned it; Smith was not linked to the vacancy until the last week.

Regardless, it's hard to find much logic in Houston firing Culley and then running things back next season with almost his entire staff in place unless the working relationship between the two sides had gotten toxic.

Smith previously spent nine years with the Chicago Bears and two years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an NFL head coach. He holds an 89-87 overall record and was also 17-39 in five seasons at the University of Illinois. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars backed their way into the ideal setup despite numerous mistakes along the way. Doug Pederson is the right hire to stabilize the franchise and develop last year's No. 1 overall pick, quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

The Urban Meyer debacle simultaneously showed how not to handle a coach spiraling out of control and completely in over his head while providing a silver lining for the next hire.

How is that possible?

Well, the Jaguars should have moved on from Meyer as soon as he decided not to fly home with the team after a Thursday night loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4. Instead, he was caught in a precarious position at a local bar, but owner Shahid Khan didn't make a move at the time. Khan gave his coach every opportunity to right the ship until multiple controversies bubbled to the surface forcing Meyer's dismissal.

Even so, patience among an ownership group can be a huge selling point because NFL coaches understand the league operates under a "What have you done for me lately?" business model. Pederson knows exactly what he's walking into after previously inheriting a team in disarray when the Philadelphia Eagles chose to fire Chip Kelly following Week 16 of the 2015 season.

"This is not going to be an overnight fix," Pederson told reporters at his introductory press conference with Jacksonville.

Everyone in and around the Jaguars understands the franchise has a long way to go, and it starts with the organizational setup. Khan originally hired Trent Baalke to serve as the team's director of player personnel prior to the 2020 campaign. Eventually, Baalke replaced Dave Caldwell as the franchise's general manager. However, Baalke has a history of being difficult to work with, and his retention in his current role changed Jacksonville's approach to the hiring process.

At one point, many considered Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator and former Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich the leading contender for the open position. But Leftwich expressed concern about an arranged partnership with Baalke and preferred to see Arizona Cardinals vice president of pro scouting Adrian Wilson hired as general manager, according to the Florida Times-Union's John Reid.

Khan has stressed a collaborative effort throughout his organization's new hierarchy, and the additions aren't complete. The owner already confirmed upcoming changes within the front office.

"We have filed the request to the NFL for an EVP (executive vice president)," Khan said during Pederson's introductory press conference. "And so we'll be doing that process."

Basically, Khan is looking for a new head of football operations, who will supersede Baalke's authority.

"We got a great insight into it," Khan said after Tom Coughlin previously served in the same role from 2017 to 2019. "So strengthening the football operations, more staff, definitely, that's part of our goal. So I mean, we've had too flat an organization, and we want to add brainpower and more people to strengthen that."

As of now, former Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman is believed to be the leading candidate for the position, per ESPN's Dan Graziano. Graziano also noted Pederson's initial aversion to the front-office structure after receiving the franchise's first official interview for the position. Whatever initially worried the coach seems to be set aside, particularly with the announcement of a front-office shakeup.

"I'm excited, one, to have this opportunity to lead your organization, but two, to be able to get in here, develop a coaching staff, develop our philosophies, develop our schemes to be successful on the football field," Pederson said. "... Our goal is to win football games, but we're going to do it one player, one coach, one person in the organization at a time."

Most importantly, Pederson falls on the opposite side of the spectrum from Meyer. He's a former NFL player, not a locker room authoritarian. He understands the professional game, dealing with veteran players and how to set up successful schemes. He's won at the highest level as both a backup quarterback and head coach.

"We wanted someone who knows exactly what it is to be the last team standing in February and is passionate about doing it and doing it again," Khan said.

Jacksonville is well-positioned to be successful in the near future. The turnaround may take a year or two, but the most important piece of the puzzle is already in place with Lawrence behind center.

The previous Jaguars staff let Lawrence down. The same prospect who ran the table as QB1 and projected No. 1 overall pick didn't look the part in the cycle of suck that encircled the Jaguars organization.

The fact that Jacksonville fielded one of the league's weakest rosters didn't come as a surprise simply because the Jags were the league's worst team a year prior. How the previous coaching staff set him up for failure might have been the most damning aspect of the campaign.

"The Jaguars offense is about as standard as an NFL system can be as far as concepts and scheme. Nothing revolutionary for better or worse," Bleacher Report scout Nate Tice observed after 11 weeks into the rookie's initial campaign.

"If there was some criticism of what they're doing, it would be throwing in more wrinkles from a formation perspective to vary up looks, put more routes on the move and add more 'gimme' throws such as bootlegs, sprint-outs and run-pass options.

"While Lawrence can handle everything, he shouldn't be placed in a position to be the hero every time he drops back, even though he has flashed signs of doing it anyway."

Pederson should immediately step in and make the offense more quarterback-friendly by adding some of those easier reads to get Lawrence into a rhythm. He's also gone through this process with 2016 No. 2 overall pick Carson Wentz, though the two ultimately had a falling out that partially caused both of their departures from Philadelphia.

Lawrence is happy with the hire, and that's vital. The 22-year-old knows he's going to be coached differently with a better understanding of what's being asked of him.

"His resume kind of speaks for itself," Lawrence said during an interview on the Jaguars' official site. "He's an offensive guy, played quarterback in the NFL. All of those things make me really excited, and it's something that I'm just excited to get to work with him and see what he brings to the table."

He added, "He played the quarterback position, so he sees it through my lens more so than a lot of coaches that haven't played the position."

Synergy between a head coach and his quarterback is critical. From there, the Jaguars must do everything in their power to make life easier for the face of the franchise, and they have both the assets and financial means to do so.

Jacksonville once again owns the No. 1 overall pick. The Jaguars have the opportunity to address another premium position or trade the selection to create a long-term war chest. Although, the latter option is less desirable since no quarterback prospect appears worthy of the selection, thus lowering the slot's overall value. The Jaguars should instead stand pat and select either Alabama's Evan Neal or North Carolina State's Ikem Ekwonu. Both are considered elite offensive tackle prospects, and Lawrence needs a new bodyguard.

The team has four picks among the first 70 selections, as well as the top choice in each of the rounds.

While the draft will serve as the foundation for the ongoing rebuild, the Jaguars must sell themselves as a destination franchise with their new direction. The club can do so with $57.3 million in projected salary-cap space, third-most in the NFL, per Spotrac.

The new-look brain trust shouldn't splurge in an attempt for a quick return. Instead, smart signings to elevate the roster's overall talent level while continuing to properly build around Lawrence can make the franchise viable over the long haul. But the team's decision-makers have the flexibility to attack selected target areas of need such as wide receiver, tight end and safety.

Instead of pursuing elite free agents at their respective positions like Davante Adams, Robert Tonyan Jr. and Tyrann Mathieu, who are unlikely to sign anyhow, the Jaguars can target options in the next tier, such as Cedrick Wilson Jr., David Njoku and Justin Reid, to improve those spots without breaking the bank. 

Pederson brought instant credibility to a franchise stuck in a vortex of mismanagement. His presence alone should immediately help with the Jaguars' chain of command and quarterback development while making Jacksonville a more desirable destination. The Super Bowl-winning head coach may not have been the franchise's first choice, but he should prove to be the correct one.

      

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski.

The Houston Texans are reportedly "in talks" with associate head coach and defensive coordinator Lovie Smith about potentially becoming their next head coach, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter and Field Yates. 

Smith has always been considered for the job, but his "candidacy as head coach has gained steam in recent days," Schefter added. 

The news comes after Josina Anderson of CBS Sports reported that Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon had been told that he will not be named the Texans' next head coach. 

Gannon, former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores and former NFL quarterback Josh McCown were reported finalists for the Texans head coaching position. However, ESPN's Sarah Barshop reported Sunday that McCown is now out of the race. 

The Texans are not hiring Josh McCown as their next head coach, a source told ESPN.

— Sarah Barshop (@sarahbarshop) February 7, 2022

The news about McCown shouldn't come as a surprise. He has no professional coaching experience, and the other candidates are far more qualified. 

Barshop also reported that if Smith gets the job, passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton is expected to be Houston's offensive coordinator. Hamilton last held an offensive coordinator role for the Indianapolis Colts from 2013 to '15.

Smith, 63, joined the Texans for the 2021 season after serving as head coach of the Illinois Fighting Illini from 2016 to '20. However, his NFL coaching experience began in 1996, when he took over as the linebackers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers until 2000. 

Smith then served as defensive coordinator for the then-St. Louis Rams from 2001 to '03. He served as head coach of the Chicago Bears from 2004 to '12 and the Buccaneers from 2014 to '15. 

In 11 seasons as an NFL head coach, Smith went 89-87. His most successful campaigns came during his tenure with the Bears, as he led the franchise to the postseason three times, including an NFC championship during the 2006 season. 

The Texans are searching for a new head coach after firing David Culley last month. Culley, 66, led Houston to a 4-13 record in 2021 despite having one of the worst rosters in the NFL. It was his only season with the franchise. 

Houston is one of two NFL teams remaining without a head coach, joining the New Orleans Saints.

The New York Giants (Brian Daboll), Minnesota Vikings (Kevin O'Connell), Miami Dolphins (Mike McDaniel), Denver Broncos (Nathaniel Hackett), Chicago Bears (Matt Eberflus), Las Vegas Raiders (Josh McDaniels) and Jacksonville Jaguars (Doug Pederson) have all hired new head coaches this offseason. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars introduced new head coach Doug Pederson at a press conference Saturday.

Pederson didn't waste any time before making his ambitions clear:

“I’m not going to settle for anything less than a championship-caliber team.” – Coach Pederson#DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/mwU7bl1Go9

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) February 5, 2022

“These guys want to win.” - Coach Pederson on meeting players this morning#DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/NSP0bZcbO6

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) February 5, 2022

One of the biggest takeaways so far, Doug Pederson said, ''It won't be an overnight fix.''

— John Reid (@JohnReid64) February 5, 2022

"The pieces are here—and that's what drew me here," he added.

Pederson, 54, spent a number of years in the NFL as a quarterback, largely as a backup, before transitioning to coaching. He served as an offensive quality control coach for the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2009 and 2010 seasons for the Eagles and was promoted to quarterbacks coach for the 2011 and 2012 campaigns. 

He then followed Andy Reid to the Kansas City Chiefs, serving as the offensive coordinator from 2013 to 2015. 

He returned to Philadelphia as the head coach in 2016, going 42-37-1 in five seasons. He led the Eagles to three postseason appearances and a title in the 2017 campaign. 

Pederson replaces Urban Meyer, who was fired 13 games into his first season in Jacksonville. He inherits a Jaguars team that has promising rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NFL draft.

Shad Khan said that interest was there in Pederson a year ago — "Last year we reached out to Doug and he was taking the year off."

— Justin Barney (@JustinBarneyTV) February 5, 2022

Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell took over as interim head coach after Meyer's firing. Jacksonville went 1-3 under Bevell to finish the 2021 season with a 3-14 record.

The Jaguars went 2-11 with Meyer at the helm amid a tumultuous tenure. After choosing not to fly back to Jacksonville with the team after its Week 4 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, Meyer was seen on video in an Ohio bar with a woman who is not his wife dancing near his lap.

NFL.com's Tom Pelissero reported on Dec. 11 that tensions between Meyer and the Jaguars players had "boiled over." Pelissero cited an argument between Meyer and team captain Marvin Jones Jr. in which the veteran receiver angrily left the team facility. Pelissero also added that Meyer referred to his assistant coaches as "losers" during a staff meeting.

On Dec. 15, former Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo told Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times details of an incident in which Meyer allegedly kicked him while he was warming up during a preseason practice.

After his firing, Meyer told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com that details of those incidents were inaccurate.

If Pro Bowl players had a vote for the NFL's offensive MVP, Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor would win the award.

In a poll of 20 players in Las Vegas for the NFL's annual All-Star Game taken by The Athletic's Greg Auman, Taylor received eight votes as offensive MVP for the 2021 season.

Quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers (five), Tom Brady (three) and Joe Burrow (two) also received multiple votes. Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams and Deebo Samuel of the San Francisco 49ers each received one vote.

Taylor could receive some support in the actual MVP voting, but odds strongly favor Rodgers winning the award for the second consecutive year. 

It's unclear how much postseason performance might have affected the way players viewed the seasons for Rodgers and Brady. Rodgers only threw for 225 yards with no touchdowns in Green Bay's 13-10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Round. 

Brady did throw for 329 yards against the Los Angeles Rams, but he also committed two turnovers in a 30-27 defeat. 

The Colts missed the playoffs after a 26-11 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 18, but that game was seen as more of an indictment on Carson Wentz. General manager Chris Ballard wouldn't fully commit to Wentz as the team's 2022 starter after the loss. 

Taylor was the focal point of Indianapolis' offense throughout the season. He led the NFL in rushing attempts (332), rushing yards (1,811), rushing touchdowns (18), yards from scrimmage (2,171) and total touchdowns (20). 

Rodgers led the Packers to the best record in the NFL during the regular season (13-4, tied with Tampa Bay). He threw for 4,115 yards and 37 touchdowns in 16 starts. Brady led the league in completions (485), attempts (719), passing yards (5,316) and passing touchdowns (43). 

The last non-quarterback to win NFL MVP was Adrian Peterson in 2012 when he ran for 2,097 yards. 

The 2021 NFL MVP award will be handed out during the NFL Honors show on Feb. 10 at 9 p.m. ET.     

The Indianapolis Colts are reportedly hiring former Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Gus Bradley as their new DC, according to Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star. 

Bradley will replace Matt Eberflus, who recently accepted the Chicago Bears' vacant head coaching position. 

Bradley was among six candidates to interview for the Colts' vacancy, including Tennessee Titans defensive assistant Jim Schwartz; Washington Football Team defensive backs coach Chris Harris; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Joe Cullen; New Orleans Saints defensive backs coach Kris Richard; and Dallas Cowboys secondary coach Joe Whitt Jr.  

The 55-year-old spent one season in Las Vegas. The Raiders defense finished the 2021 campaign 14th in yards allowed and 26th in scoring. The unit was 25th in yards allowed and 30th in scoring in the season prior to Bradley's arrival.

Before joining the Raiders, Bradley spent four seasons as defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers from 2017 to '20. The Chargers defense finished in the top 10 in passing yards allowed in each of his four seasons. It also finished in the top 10 overall in three of his four years as DC.

He also served as head coach of the Jaguars from 2013 to '16 but is mostly known for his time spent as the defensive coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks from 2009 to '12 as he helped create the Legion of Boom. 

Bradley will now coach a talented defensive unit that includes Pro Bowlers DeForest Buckner, Darius Leonard and Kenny Moore. The Colts finished the 2021 season with the ninth-ranked scoring defense. 

The Colts will be hoping Bradley can continue to build on the unit's previous success. 

Amid his class-action lawsuit against the NFL, Brian Flores is reportedly still in the running for the Houston Texans' head-coaching vacancy. 

Per Josina Anderson of CBS Sports HQ and USA Today, Flores is considered a finalist for the job. 

Flores filed the lawsuit against the league and all 32 teams on Tuesday alleging racial discrimination in the hiring process for coaches. 

Flores also alleged in the lawsuit that Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross offered him a $100,000 incentive for each loss during the 2019 season to improve the team's draft position and later tried to get him to violate the league's tampering policy. 

A bombshell lawsuit accuses the NFL of racism in hiring coaches — and now the former coach who filed it is speaking out for the first time on #CBSMornings.

Brian Flores says, “It’s hard to speak out…but this is bigger than football. This is bigger than coaching.” pic.twitter.com/hI92p8rvEd

— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) February 2, 2022

According to Anderson, the Texans have been vetting staffing plans for their finalists to ascertain the viability, availability and fit with the team before making a decision. 

During a Wednesday appearance on ESPN's Get Up (h/t John Singler of Saints Wire), Flores said he gave the Texans and New Orleans Saints advance word of his lawsuit before it became public. 

ESPN's Mike Triplett reported Flores met with Saints management on Tuesday in Mobile, Alabama, to interview for their vacant head coaching position. 

Per Brooks Kubena of the Houston Chronicle, Flores had a second interview with the Texans earlier this week.

Jacob Camenker of Sporting News noted Flores, Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, former NFL quarterback Josh McCown and Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell either met with or received a second-interview request from the Texans. 

Per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, O'Connell is expected be named head coach of the Minnesota Vikings after the Rams play in the Super Bowl on Feb. 13. 

The Texans are searching for a new head coach for the second straight offseason. They fired David Culley on Jan. 13 after he went 4-13 in his first season with the team. 

Flores spent the past three seasons as head coach of the Dolphins. The 40-year-old went 24-25 overall and posted back-to-back winning seasons in 2020 and 2021.     

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is reportedly building a home in Tennessee, and he's "open" to joining the Titans during the 2022 NFL offseason.

Jared Stillman of ESPN Nashville reported the update Wednesday:

Sources: Aaron Rodgers has purchased land and is in the process of building a home in the Nashville-suburb of Franklin (Williamson Co.) Also, source says Rodgers is “open” joining the Titans. Another source says that current Packers teammates do not expect Rodgers back in GB. pic.twitter.com/fEwiL1sthA

— Jared Stillman (@JaredStillman) February 2, 2022

Rodgers' status with the Packers will be one of the NFL's top stories for the second successive summer. He stayed away from the organization for most of last offseason amid a flurry of trade rumors, but he returned for the start of training camp to end the standoff.

The 38-year-old Cal product is likely set to win his second straight MVP Award after a 2021 campaign in which he threw 37 touchdowns and just four interceptions in 16 games.

He's under contract with Green Bay for next season as part of a four-year, $134 million deal, but it features a likely untenable $46.7 million cap hit for 2022. The Packers are a projected $50.8 million over the salary cap heading into the offseason, per OverTheCap.

Rodgers made it clear after the Packers were eliminated from the playoffs by the San Francisco 49ers he holds no interest in playing for a team not focused on Super Bowl contention.

"I don't want to be a part of a rebuild if I'm going to keep playing," he told reporters.

It creates a complex situation because Green Bay will have limited roster flexibility to retain or sign players if Rodgers remains at his current cap figure.

If he's going to leave, the front office would obviously prefer a multi-team bidding war to maximize the return in a trade, but the quarterback will hold some leverage to pick his new team since he'll probably have to restructure his contract to make it work.

The Titans make sense on paper, as they finished as the top seed in the AFC with a 12-5 record before getting upset by the eventual AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals in the divisional round. If you combine a Rodgers-led passing game with a Derrick Henry-led rushing attack, it'll be a nightmare for opposing defenses.

Rodgers' new house isn't directly related to interest in the Titans, though. Brent Dougherty of 104.5 The Zone reported the QB's plan to build in the Nashville area has been in the works for "a while":

It’s true. He has a lot and is building in Brentwood but this process began a while ago. Meaning, he’s not moving here to be the Titans QB, necessarily. https://t.co/ODZJU3Rzo4

— Brent Dougherty (@brentdougherty) February 3, 2022

The difficulty for Tennessee would be the presence of quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who's under contract through 2023 with a potential dead cap of $57.4 million for 2022. That figure could be reduced to $29 million over two years with a post-June 1 trade, but it's unclear whether Green Bay would be interested in him or would want to move forward with Jordan Love in a post-Rodgers era. It could necessitate a third team getting involved.

So there are a lot of moving parts that would need to get resolved before Rodgers could land in Tennessee, and if his sole focus is winning a Super Bowl, the path of least resistance likely resides in the NFC given the incredible amount of young quarterback talent in the AFC.

The Titans would certainly still be a top-tier championship contender if they land the 10-time Pro Bowl selection, though.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have never won a Super Bowl in franchise history, but they may look to bring in someone who has in an effort to change that.

According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, the Jaguars plan on interviewing former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson for the second time. This comes after NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported the New Orleans Saints also interviewed Pederson as they search for Sean Payton's replacement.

That the Jaguars will interview Pederson a second time is particularly notable since Albert Breer of The MMQB reported he "had trepidation over the setup in Jacksonville."

The organization is certainly a question mark, and it reached the point some fans dressed like clowns for the season finale in protest of owner Shad Khan and general manager Trent Baalke. The AFC South club hired Baalke as the director of player personnel in February 2020, and he moved into the GM role in November 2020.

Jacksonville finished with the worst record in the NFL for the second straight season, this time going 3-14 in a campaign that was largely overshadowed by the hiring and eventual firing of Urban Meyer as the head coach.

Meyer made plenty of headlines off the field and failed to win on it, which has left the team in position to interview candidates such as Pederson this offseason.

The Jaguars have just one winning season since the 2007 campaign, although quarterback Trevor Lawrence provides some hope after they chose him with the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL draft. He struggled to establish much consistency as a rookie with 12 touchdown passes to a league-worst 17 interceptions, but he wasn't exactly surrounded by top-notch talent.

Pederson has maximized talent in the past and led the Eagles to the Super Bowl title during the 2017 season even after starting quarterback Carson Wentz was lost for the year to injury.

He coached in Philadelphia from 2016 until he was fired in 2020 and finished with a 42-37-1 record while leading the team to the playoffs in three of his five years. By comparison, the Jaguars have been to the playoffs three times in the last 22 seasons.